Because we have no idea what existed before the Big Bang. There must have been something, and the idea of the entire universe coming into existence from a single tiny point about 10 billion years ago is very difficult to cope with mentally !

Therefore we look for ways to explain our existence and understand the relationship between space and time in an attempt to predict what might have preceeded the big bang.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception" - Groucho Marx

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I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception - Groucho Marx

We search for meaning because as a species we are arrogant enough to believe that our existence is more meaningful (important) than other forms and are seeking to verify our opinion.

« Last Edit: 13/09/2003 18:15:59 by Donnah »

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"If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do." Mahatma Gandhi

It's impossible that everything came from nothing. Something must have preceeded the big bang.

I don't know if other people get this, but trying to comprehend the incomprehensible - i.e. what existed before the universe began - makes me feel strange in a way I can't describe ! Am I alone or do others get this funny 'sensation' ?

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception" - Groucho Marx

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I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception - Groucho Marx

Chris, it makes me feel strange too. If I concentrate fully on something incomprehensible to me, I feel like the top of my head sort of opens up.

Can you describe a little more what it feels like for you?[?] What does everyone else experience, focusing on the incomprehensible?

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"If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do." Mahatma Gandhi

the only thing we have experienced is linear time so of course thats the way we try to think about things, there may be something other than time but we cant know it therefore the question of what was before the big bang will go on until the human race disappears even though it makes No Sense to ask that question since there was no 'before' the big bang! =) we cant know how time came about to exist so i cant answer your question of where all the energy came from im sorry!

Could one take the basic elements that started it all and run a controled experiment? Water, carbon, etc. Seal it off and see if something grows? That's after the big bang, but supposedly where it all sprouted from. Has this ever been done? Is it possible?

Do you mean like the pribiotic soup or whatever its called? I think someone did do that inthe early years of DNA history, but I forget when/who and I think they did get a few organic molecules forming, but cant remember. been too long.

Someone did some experiments that created amino acids and other organic molecules by passing a spark through water, methane, ammonia and hydrogen. I don't know much else about it, or if it really provided any answers.